[0001] The present invention relates to a filter apparatus for condensing and separating
plankton from sea water, so as to use the plankton as a natural feed for an ocean
culture or to return the plankton back to sea water to protect marine livings and
at the same time to use the filtrate as cooling water in power plants or as fresh
water purified from sea water.
[0002] A large amount of cooling water is used in steam and atomic power plants to cause
a steam condenser to condense, into water, steam used for turbine rotation. A typical
example of a cooling water source is sea water, which is an inexhaustible source.
However, since various types of marine living organisms and substances having various
shapes and sizes are contained in sea water, the water must therefore be filtered
by a settling basin or strainer. The filtrate as a cooling medium is then supplied
through a water supply pipe to the steam condenser. Fig. 3(a) is a block flow chart
illustrating the pretreatment of salt water. Sand particles and shells mixed in with
salt water entering through inlet port 1 are removed by settling basin 2. Large objects
are then removed by bar screen 3, and relatively small objects are removed by rotary
screen 4. The filtrate is then supplied to steam condenser 6 through water supply
pipe 8. However, in the course of the conventional pretreatment, marine microorganisms
such as plankton living in salt water cannot be captured or removed. Thus, the plankton
are conveyed to condenser 6 through pipe 8, and larvae of Mussels (Mytilus edulis)
and Balanus become adhered or attached to the inner wall surfaces of pipe 8 and condenser
6. In the worst case, the larvae form a 20 cm thick layer on the inner wall surface,
clogging the water channel and thus decreasing the amount of water supplied and degrading
the heat exchange efficiency. In addition, the heat exchange pipe becomes clogged
up with peeled-off shells, and the power generating efficiency is degraded. In order
to perform periodic maintenance, a chemical containing free chlorine is used to weaken
shells attached to the inner wall surfaces, and the weakened shells being removed
by peeling them off. Another conventional maintenance procedure is to apply an anticontamination
paint containing copper suboxide and an organic tin compound having a high toxicity
to the inner wall surfaces of pipe 8 and condenser 6, thereby preventing adhesion
of shells thereto.
[0003] Since the above-mentioned maintenance procedures must be performed on a large-scale
basis, each time a water supply pump has been deactivated, this results in high maintenance
costs. In addition, the marine living organisms may be totally annihilated by the
process. In an application of the anticontamination paint, the concentration and thickness
of the paint that can be applicable are limited, and its effectiveness period is short.
In addition, the mechanical strength and adhesion strength of the paint film are
not satisfactory. As a result, the desired effect is not always obtained. In addition,
marine living organisms such as fish, shells, and sea weed become contaminated by
such a paint, which gives rise to environmental pollution. In recent years, this environmental
pollution poses a problem that should be immediately solved.
[0004] Larvae of organisms such as Mussels attach themselves to the surface of various equipment
by means of a sticky disk formed by the hardening of secretory materials from their
byssuses. Therefore, use of a microstrainer made of a material having a low interface
tension, such as silicon and Teflon, has been proposed for the purpose of preventing
attachment of larvae to equipment surfaces. In this case, however, a slime or the
like becomes attached to the inner wall surfaces, and good surface conditions cannot
be maintained. The slime or the like adheres to the strainer, causing it to become
clogged. We are confronted with a circumstance wherein the ocean culture of fishes
and shells must be widely prevailed to assure the ocean protein sources due to limitations
of fishing grounds. However, the conventional techniques are incapable of assuring
the supply of a low-cost natural live feed required for the ocean culture.
[0005] The present invention has been developed to solve the above conventional problems.
Objects contained in sea water supplied from water supply port 1 are removed through
settling basin 2, bar screen 3, and rotary screen 4, and the filtered sea water is
fed to filter apparatus 5 in accordance with the characteristic feature of the present
invention, as shown in Fig. 3(b). Small objects and marine microorganisms are filtered
out of the sea water, and the resultant filtrate is supplied to steam condenser 6
through water supply pipe 8. Meanwhile, plankton concentrated by a non-filtrate vessel
in filter apparatus 5 are extracted from microorganism extraction port 7 and are
utilized as natural feed for other marine livings, or returned as alive back to the
ocean.
[0006] Filter elements used in filter apparatus 5 of the present invention are respectively
shown in Figs. 1(a), 1(b), and 1(c). Filter element 10 shown in Fig. 1(a) comprises
separation portion 14, opening 15, and sealing portion 16. Separation portion 14 comprises
helical member 13 forming uniform slits on the surface of core 12 provided with apertures
11. Opening 15 is formed at one end of filter element 10, and sealing portion 16 is
formed at the other end thereof. The filtrate passing through the slits is taken out
of opening 15. Core 12 may be a cylindrical pipe, a polygonal pipe, or a rib-like
frame for supporting the helical member. A wire for forming helical member 13 on the
surface of core 12 may one having a circular cross section, a wedge wire, or a wire
having any other shape. Each of the slits between each turn of the helical member
13 has a width of 1,000 µm or less and preferably 300 µm or less, and the slits are
maintained a uniform width. Fig. 1(b) shows another filter element. This element comprises
triangular rod core 12, separation portion 14, and threaded mouthpiece 19. Separation
portion 14 is constructed by stacking rings 18 on core 12. Each ring 18 has a plurality
of projections projecting in a direction of thickness thereof. Mouthpiece 19 has opening
15. In addition to the element with slits for filtering water, filter element 10 shown
in Fig. 1(b) may be modified as follows:
[0007] A plurality of nets having different mesh sizes and produced by arranging fine wires
in a matrix form are stacked and baked, and the baked body is formed into a cylindrical
shape.
[0008] Alternatively, a metal powder or small metal pieces are baked to thereby produce
a porous cylindrical member, or else short metal fibers are baked to produce a cotton-like
body which is then formed into a porous cylindrical member. In the above two members,
water is filtered through a large number of voids, as is shown in Fig. 1(c). Leaf-like
bag type filter element 10 has separation portion 14 made of laminated net body 21.
[0009] Non-filter portion 20 without slits or voids, i.e., a closed pipe portion having
no filtering function, is preferably formed near a partition plate mounting portion
of filter element 10.
[0010] Fig. 2 shows an embodiment of filter apparatus according to the present invention.
A plurality of filter elements shown in Fig. 1(a), 1(b), or 1(c) are vertically mounted
in filter housing 22 such that openings 15 face upward and sealing ends 16 face downward.
Filter housing 22 is partitioned into non-filtrate chamber 24 and filtrate chamber
25, by means of partitioning plate 23. Sea water 26 from which objects have been removed
through settling basin 2, bar screen 3, and rotary screen 4, is supplied by pump 27.
Valves 28 and 31 are opened, in the direction indicated by arow 29, to supply sea
water 26 through water supply pipe 8 to non-filtrate chamber 24. Water 26 flows through
the chamber 24 as streams 30 in parallel with the surfaces of separation portions
14 of filter elements 10. As streams 30 of water 26 flowing in parallel with the
surfaces of separation portions 14 go upward through the chamber 24, filtering is
effected through separation portion 14. Meanwhile, water-standing portion 49 is formed
near partition plate 23 of non-filtrate chamber 24. Plankton contained in sea water
26 remain in non-filtrate chamber 24 and flow along with streams 30 (upward streams,
in the case illustrated) parallel to the surfaces of separation portions 14. The plankton
is concentrated in water-standing portion 49 and is removed from microorganism extraction
port 7. The concentrated microorganisms are then utilized as natural feed for other
marine life. The plankton in non-filtrate chamber 24 is concentrated in water-standing
portion 49 of water 26 which is formed near partition plate 23, as described above.
If the portions near partition plates 23 of filter elements 10 mounted thereon are
constituted as closed pipe portions 20 having no filtering function, i.e., nonfilter
portions 20, the plankton can be easily captured. Microobjects such as a slime of
water are removed by filter elements 10, and the resultant filtrate as a cooling medium
is supplied, in the direction indicated by arrow 32, to steam condenser 6, through
valve 31 and water supply pipe 8. As filtering progresses, microobjects are stacked
on the surfaces of filter elements 10, to increase a filtering resistance. When the
internal pressure of non-filtrate chamber 24 reaches a predetermined level, or when
a predetermined period of time has elapsed, valves 28 and 31 are closed, and microobjects
stacked on the surfaces of filter elements 10 are washed with water flowing in the
reverse direction. When valves 35 and 36 of washing water tank 33 and washing air
tank 34 are opened, water is mixed with air in air/water mixing tank 37. When valves
38 and 40 are opened, the mixture of air and water is fed in the direction indicated
by arrow 39. The microobjects on the surface of separation portions 14 of filter elements
10 flow together with the air/water mixture through valve 40, in the direction indicated
by arrow 41, and are drained off through drain pipe 42. Part of the filtrate is supplied
as washing water to washing water tank 33 through conduit 43. Reference numeral 44
denotes a separation valve for separating the filtrate reverse washing. Water supply
to the filter apparatus is thus interrupted, a liquid or the air/water mixture is
fed from openings 15 to filter elements 10, thereby removing the microobjects attached
on the surfaces of separation portions 14 of filter element 10. In periodical removal
of organisms attached to the wall surfaces of non-filtrate chamber 24 and the surfaces
of non-filter portions 20 of filter elements 10 over long-term operation of the apparatus,
a means is provided to allow easy peeling off and removal of these organisms. Reference
numeral 45 denotes a killing liquid supply port formed in non-filtrate chamber 24;
46, a separation valve; 47, a killing liquid tank; and 48, a conduit. The killing
liquid is exemplified by hot water or steam which can kill the attached organisms
without contaminating the marine environment. For example, hot water or steam heated
to 40°C or more can be employed. When the conventional chemical expellants are employed
as the killing liquid, the shell organism would be forced to death with their shells
being closed, thereby making the removal of the shell organism quite difficult. In
contrast to this, when the hot water or steam heated to 40°C or more is employed as
the killing liquid, the shell organism would be forced to death with their shells
being open, thereby making the removal of the dead shell organism very easy. Removal
and cleaning off of organisms adhering to the inner wall surfaces of non-filtrate
chamber 24 can be performed subsequent to the following procedures.
[0011] The operation of the filter apparatus is interrupted, and filtrate chamber 25 is
emptied. Valve 46 is opened to supply the killing liquid from tank 47 into chamber
24 through inlet port 45. The liquid fills chamber 24, and valve 46 is closed. The
apparatus is kept in this state for a predetermined period of time. Thereafter, the
same operation procedures as in reverse washing operation mentioned above are performed
to drain the killing liquid from chamber 24. In this manner, the organisms attached
to the inner wall surfaces of chamber 24 are completely removed and drained off.
[0012] This invention can be more fully understood from the following detailed description
when taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:
Figs. 1(a), 1(b), and 1(c) are respectively perspective views of filter elements used
in a filter apparatus according to the present invention;
Fig. 2 is a diagram showing a filtering route of non-filtrate in the filter apparatus
of the present invention;
Fig. 3A is a block flow chart of a conventional pretreatment for supplying salt water
as a cooling medium from a water supply pipe to a steam condenser; and
Fig. 3B is a block flow chart of a pretreatment for supplying salt water as a cooling
medium from a water supply pipe to a steam condenser according to the present invention.
[0013] In order to confirm effects of the present invention the following experiments were
conducted.
<Example 1>
[0014] A 0.6-mm diameter stainless steel wire was wound around a surface of a stainless
steel hexagonal core having a length of 750 mm and an outer diameter of 12 mm to form
70-µm wide slits up to 600 mm from one end of the core. A 150-mm long non-wired portion
served as a non-filter portion. One end of the filter element was sealed, and the
other end (on the non-filter portion side) thereof was open. Therefore, a separation
partition had a length of 600 mm and the surface area of the separation portion was
0.022 m². Seven filter elements were vertically suspended on a partition plate in
a transparent cylindrical glass filter housing having a volume of 10 ℓ, thereby preparing
a filter apparatus.
[0015] Sea water to be filtered was supplied by a pump and sea water filtering and condensation/separation
of planktons were performed in the above apparatus. In this case, filtering conditions
were given as follows. A filtering pressure (ΔP) was 0.05 kg/cm², a filtering rate
was 7.2 m³/m²·Hr, and thus a filtering volume per 90 minutes was 1.7 m³. Planktons
including larvae of Mussels and Balanus were condensed and separated in a non-filtrate
reservoir portion near the partition plate. In order to evaluate cleanness of the
filtrate, the filtrate was filtered through a plankton net, and the net was observed
with a microscope. No planktons were observed. The planktons condensed in the non-filtrate
reservoir portion near the partition plate were removed alive from the microorganism
extraction port.
<Example II>
[0016] A 0.65-mm diameter Cu-10%Ni alloy wire was wound around a surface of a Cu-10%Ni alloy
dodecahedral core having a length of 850 mm and an outer diameter of 30 mm to form
50-µm wide slits up to 700 mm from one end of the core. A 150-mm long non-wired portion
served as a non-filter portion. One end of the filter element was sealed, and the
other end (on the non-filter portion side) thereof was open. Therefore, a separation
portion had a length of 700 mm and the surface area of the separation portion was
0.065 m².
[0017] Four filter elements were vertically suspended on a partition plate in a cylindrical
filter housing having a volume of 20 ℓ, thereby preparing a filter apparatus.
[0018] The filter apparatus incorporated an automatic reverse washing mechanism for automatically
cleaning filter elements by reverse washing when a flow rate reached 1.62 m³/Hr, an
automatic filter resetting mechanism, an extraction port for extracting the condensed
planktons alive near the partition plate, and adhered organism killing means for killing
organisms adhered to the inner wall surfaces of the non-filtrate chamber.
[0019] Sea water to be filtrated is pumped, and there were provided a filtrate channel and
a non-filtrate channel as a control. The flow rates and amounts of these channels
were controlled to be identical. Plates having an area of 0.25 m² were disposed in
channels, respectively, and the effect for removing larvae attached to the plates
by filtering was determined by checking the presence/absence of larvae of Mussels
and Balanus which were included in the planktons.
[0020] The experiment was conducted in Sendai Bay, Miyagi Prefecture for 75 days from April
to June. The volume of salt water passed through each channel in 75 days was about
4,000 m³. Table 1 shows the number of shells attached to the plates. Mussels were
attached to the plate disposed in the non-filtrate channel. However, no Mussels were
adhered to the plate disposed in the filtrate channel.
[0021] Barnacles were adhered to neither plates because the growing period was not reached.
The size of Balanus larvae is 600 to 1,000 µm which is larger than that (300 to 400
µm) of Mussels. Thus, the Balanus larvae are not assumed to pass through the slits
of the filter elements, and Balanus larvae are not likely to pass toward the filtrate
side in the growing period.
[0022] Hot water having a temperature of 60°C was used to remove shells adhered to the non-filtrate
chamber and was filled in the non-filtrate chamber. When one hour has elapsed, the
death/live conditions of the shells in the chamber were checked. All shells were confirmed
to be dead.

[0023] Table 2 shown below indicates the populations of planktons in the sea water and the
sea water filtrate.

[0024] According to the filter apparatus of the present invention, the microorganisms floating
in salt water which cannot be easily captured according to the conventional techniques
can be directly condensed alive in a non-filtrate reservoir portion in the filter
chamber. In particular, when the slit size or void diameter of the filter element
is 300 µm or less, all planktons adhered to the inner wall surfaces of the filter
chamber can be removed. Therefore, instead of killing all the ocean microorganisms
adhered or attached to the inner wall surfaces of the water supply pipe or the steam
condenser in the conventional techniques, the planktons can be separated and captured
in the reservoir portion and be used as a natural feed for ocean culture for fishes
and shells. The ocean microorganisms can also be released alive back to the sea, and
thus an ecosystem for ocean organisms can be preserved. In addition, a toxic chemical,
an organic paint, or the like which contaminates the ocean environments need not be
used, thus preventing adverse influences on ocean organisms and environmental pollution.
The safety of ocean environments can be assured. A large amount of expenses consumed
according to the conventional techniques can be reduced to the maintenance expenses
of the filter apparatus of the present invention.
[0025] In the above embodiment, the filter elements are vertically suspended on the tube
plate in the filter chamber. However, the filter elements may be horizontally arranged
to obtain the same effect as described above. The present invention is not limited
to filtering of saltwater planktons but can be extended to that of freshwater planktons.
1. A filter apparatus for filtering plankton out of fresh/salt water containing the
plankton, comprising:
a filter housing (22) partitioned, by a partition plate (23) having a plurality
of through-holes, into a non-filtrate chamber (24) and a filtrate chamber (25), said
non-filtrate and filtrate chambers (24, 25) having far ends with openings, and said
non-filtrate chamber (24) having an opening near said partition plate (23); and
a plurality of filter elements (10) each having one end which is open and the
other end which is sealed, and a separation portion (14) with a large number of small
slits or through-holes, said one end being fitted in and supported by a corresponding
one of through-holes of said partition plate (23), and said other end extending toward
said opening of said far end of said non-filtrate chamber (24),
wherein the plankton in water to be filtered are concentrated near said partition
plate (23) of said non-filtrate chamber (24), and are removed through the opening
near said partition plate (23).
2. An apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that a portion near said partition
plate (23) of said filter element (10) extending in said non-filtrate chamber (24)
constitutes a non-filter portion (20) without slits or through-holes.
3. An apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that a slit interval or a
through-hole diameter of said filter element (10) is not more than 300 µm.
4. An apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that said filter element (10)
is cylindrical, and the slits are defined by intervals of turns of a wire wound around
a cylindrical member constituting said filter element (10).
5. An apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that said filter element (10)
comprises a columnar body and a large number of annular bodies (18) stacked and inserted
in said columnar body, and the slits are formed between said annular bodies.
6. An apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that said filter element (10)
comprises a box-like shape, and a large number of through-holes are formed at least
on both side surfaces of a box constituting said filter element (10).
7. A filter apparatus for filtering plankton from fresh/salt water containing the
plankton, comprising:
a filter housing (22) partitioned, by a partition plate (23) having a plurality
of through-holes, into a non-filtrate chamber (24) and a filtrate chamber (25), said
non-filtrate and filtrate chambers (24, 25) having far ends with openings, and said
non-filtrate chamber (24) having an opening near said partition plate (23);
a plurality of filter elements (10) each having one end which is open and the
other end which is sealed, and a separation portion (14) with a large number of small
slits or through-holes, said one end being fitted in and supported by a corresponding
one of through-holes of said partition plate (23), and said other end extending toward
said opening of said far end of said non-filtrate chamber (24); and
a washing fluid tank (33) arranged to communicate with said filtrate chamber
(25),
characterized in that the plankton in water to be filtered are concentrated
near said partition plate (23) of said non-filtrate chamber (24) and are removed through
the opening near said partition plate (23), and objects stacked on a surface of said
separation portion of said filter element (10) are removed by a washing fluid.
8. An apparatus according to claim 7, characterized in that said washing fluid tank
(33) is coupled to a washing air tank (34).
9. A filter apparatus for filtering plankton from fresh/salt water containing the
plankton, comprising:
a filter housing (22) partitioned, by a partition plate (23) having a plurality
of through-holes, into a non-filtrate chamber (24) and a filtrate chamber (25), said
non-filtrate and filtrate chambers having far ends with openings, and said non-filtrate
chamber (24) having an opening near said partition plate (23);
a plurality of filter elements (10) each having one end which is open and the
other end which is sealed, and a separation portion (14) with a large number of small
slits or through-holes, said one end being fitted in and supported by a corresponding
one of through-holes of said partition plate (23), and said other end extending toward
said opening of said far end of said non-filtrate chamber (24); and
a killing fluid tank (33) arranged to communicate with said non-filtrate chamber
(24),
characterized in that the plankton in water to be filtered are concentrated
near said partition plate (23) of said non-filtrate chamber (24) and are removed through
the opening near said partition plate (23), and organisms stacked in said non-filtrate
chamber (24) are removed.
10. A filter apparatus according to claim 9, characterized in that said killing fluid
is hot water or hot steam heated to 40°C or more.